Failure to Complete Timely Nutritional Assessment After Readmission
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to conduct a comprehensive nutritional assessment within seven days of readmission for one resident, as required by its own policy and procedure. The resident, who had a history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, gastrostomy, and anemia, was initially admitted and then readmitted after a hospital stay. Upon readmission, the resident's weight was recorded as unchanged from the time of transfer to the hospital, but a comprehensive nutritional assessment was not completed until the twelfth day after readmission, exceeding the facility's seven-day requirement. Interviews with the Registered Dietitian and the Director of Nursing confirmed that the nutritional assessment was delayed and not performed within the required timeframe. The facility's policies specify that a comprehensive nutritional assessment must be completed by a dietitian within seven days of admission or readmission, especially in cases of significant weight change. Despite these requirements and the resident's medical complexity, the assessment was not completed as stipulated, resulting in a deficiency.